BHEL Bangalore maintains growth

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, APRIL 8. The Bangalore-based four units of Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), despite slowdown in economy, have maintained growth in profits and sales with a turnover of Rs. 596 crores and a profit before tax of Rs. 84 crores during 1900-2000. The orders were in the order of Rs. 487 crores while exports totalled Rs. 67 crores.

The four units are electronics division (EDN), electronics systems division (ESD), industrial systems group (ISG) and electroporcelains division (EPD). These divisions won many repeat orders. Out of this, new products contributed about 50 per cent of the turnover. For 2000-01 the units have set a target of Rs. 672 crores for turnover and Rs. 175 crores for exports.

Addressing presspersons here today the Executive Director of BHEL, Mr. V. K. Bhatnagar, said with focus on convergence of computer, control and communication technologies both in industry and utility sectors offers enormous scope for the Bangalore based units to consolidate further their core competence and leadership position.

Apart from strengthening the existing business, new business areas are being explored in transportation, transmission and telecom, defence, space application and environment friendly technologies, he said.

The electronics division has entered the traction business by supplying Rs. 47-crore worth power electronics systems and controls for 6000 hp AC locos. It has won the biggest order from the Department of Telecommunications for switching equipment totalling 2.53 lakh lines, thus tripling the turnover from this business.

The ISG bagged an urban development project of BWSSB for clear water pumping stations of Cauvery Stage IV against stiff global competition funded by JBIC. EPD became the only maker of HDVC disc insulators and it has also developed catalytic converters for automobiles meeting Euro II norms.

The division commissioned 100 kW PV grid interactive power plant at Kiltan island in Lakshadweep and its electronic energy meters got ISI certification. One of the major achievements of the Bangalore units is the development of digital automatic voltage regulators (DAVR) with advanced features for thermal, hydro and diesel power plants.

The EDN achieved a breakthrough in power plant automation technology with the indigenous development of a new automation system with automatic plant start-up and shut-down (APS) and plant regulator system. These systems have since been commissioned at the 291 MW NEEPCO, Kathalguri and 120 MW NTPC Kayamkulam combined cycle plants.

For the first time a SCADA system for Kovilkalappal CCPP was supplied developed in-house and tank terminal automation systems for oil depots of IOCL and HPCL. Some of the contracts were completed ahead of schedule.

During the year 45 sets of controls and instrumentation were supplied to various power plants and 2610 sets of training simulators to Defence Ministry. EDN along with BHEL Corporate R&D has developed microprocessor based generator and sub-station protection systems with new features.

About the company's entry into IT sector, Mr. Bhatnagar said it was likely to generate Rs. 1,000 crores. BHEL will invest close to Rs. 50 crores in this sector.

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